Why a Splashback Is the Perfect First Tiling Job

If you have never tiled before, the wall behind your cooker or sink is a very forgiving place to start. A splashback is usually only 600mm high, it sits above a worktop that is already level, and the area is broken up by sockets, windows and cupboards, so a few imperfect cuts will not stand out the way they would across a whole floor.

It is also one of the quickest ways to change a kitchen. A tired painted wall behind the hob can be transformed in a weekend with a couple of square metres of tiles, some adhesive and a steady hand. The trick is not to rush the preparation, because nine out of ten tiling problems come from what is happening under the tiles rather than the tiles themselves.

Measuring Up and Choosing Your Tiles

Start by working out the area properly. Measure the length of each run and the height you intend to tile, then multiply one by the other to get square metres. Add at least ten per cent for cuts, breakages and the odd tile you will inevitably drop on the floor.

• Ceramic is the easiest to cut and the cheapest, ideal for a first project.
• Porcelain is tougher and often needs a wet cutter rather than a manual one.
• Natural stone looks lovely but usually needs sealing before and after grouting.
• Large-format tiles mean fewer grout lines, but they demand a very flat wall.
• Metro or bevelled tiles are forgiving on uneven walls, though lining up the bevels takes patience.

Think about grout width too. A 2mm spacer with grout matched to the tile gives a clean, almost seamless look, while a 3mm contrasting grout makes a feature of the pattern. If you are tiling behind a hob, avoid anything with a heavily textured or porous surface, as grease will settle into it.

Preparing the Wall Properly

Remove any old tiles, then wash the wall with sugar soap to lift grease, especially behind the cooker. Paint needs to be sound and slightly keyed with sandpaper; gloss and vinyl silk should really be sanded back or removed, as adhesive struggles to grip a shiny surface.

Check the wall for flatness with a long spirit level or straight edge. Small hollows can be filled with a patching plaster, but if the wall is badly out, it may be quicker to fix tile backer board over it. Fresh plaster needs to dry fully before tiling, which can take several weeks depending on thickness and ventilation.

Isolate the power before loosening any socket or switch faceplates. You can usually tile around them by unscrewing the plate and pulling it gently forward, but anything more involved should be left to a qualified electrician. Prime dusty or highly absorbent surfaces with the primer recommended by your adhesive manufacturer rather than neat PVA, which can leave a soft film that tiles will not stick to.

Choosing Adhesive and Grout

For ceramic tiles on a dry kitchen wall, a ready-mixed adhesive is convenient and perfectly adequate. For porcelain, large tiles, or anything within about 300mm of a hob, use a cement-based powder adhesive instead, mixed to the consistency of thick double cream.

Heat matters more than most beginners expect. A ready-mixed tub may soften behind a cooker, so look for an adhesive rated for the temperatures a hob can reach, and check the tub or bag for its maximum service temperature. For grout, a flexible grout copes better with the small movements a kitchen wall experiences, while epoxy grout is worth considering near a hob if you want maximum stain resistance.

Setting Out and Laying the Tiles

Never start tiling from a corner. Find the centre of the main visible run, draw a vertical line, and dry lay a row of tiles along the worktop to see where the cuts fall at each end. Adjust your starting point until you avoid awkward slivers of tile, aiming for cuts of at least half a tile wherever you can.

Draw a level line along the worktop and start your first full row there, using a batten if the worktop is not perfectly level. Spread adhesive with a notched trowel, combing in one direction, and only cover as much wall as you can tile in twenty minutes or so. Press each tile on with a gentle twisting motion, add spacers at the joints, and check back with a spirit level every few tiles.

For cuts, measure twice and mark the tile with a pencil. A manual cutter handles straight cuts on ceramic, while a wet cutter gives cleaner edges on porcelain. Cut around sockets by marking the faceplate position on the tile, then use a diamond blade or nippers and tidy the edges with a file. Finish the top edge with a tile trim if it will be visible.

Grouting and the Finishing Touches

Leave the adhesive to set for the time stated on the packaging, usually 24 hours. Apply grout diagonally across the joints with a rubber float, working it well in, then wipe the surface with a damp sponge before it hardens. Once the grout has dried, buff off any haze with a dry cloth.

Where the tiles meet the worktop or an internal corner, use a bead of silicone rather than grout. These joints move slightly as the kitchen warms and cools, and grout will crack where silicone simply flexes. Run a smooth bead, tool it with a silicone smoother or a wetted finger, and leave it to cure overnight.

Finally, keep the leftover tiles and a note of the grout colour. If a tile chips in a few years, you will be very glad you did.